Roller adjusting device for cotton gins



July 26, 1932. w. 1.. HANCOCK ROLLER ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR COTTON GINS Filed June 15, 1931 gwwmtov M! L. #mcock Z ll x II Patented July 26, 1932 A UNITED STATES WILLIAM L. HANCOCK, OF DALLAS, TEXAS,

ASSrGNon o ,Tnn' MURnAY' coMr nY, or

DALLAS, TEXAS, A CORPORATION or TEXAS ROLLER ADJUSTING DEVICE non coTTofi GINS Application filed June 15,

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in roller adjusting devices for cotton gins.

One object of the invention is to provide supports for the ends of the rollers and means for adjusting said supports in unison, whereby the longitudinal alinement of the roller is maintained throughout all adjustments.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for adjusting said supports in common together with a single actuator for said means, whereby both supports may be adjusted from one end of the gin stand.

A. further object of the invention is to provide in connection with one of the supports, a self-adjusting idler for the belt or chain which drives the roller.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of one end of a gin stand equipped with a roller adjusting means constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a Similar view, in Section,

Figure 3 is an elevation of a portion of the opposite end of said gin stand,

Figure 4 is a detail of the idler adjuster and end support,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure l, and

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the roller-adjusting lever.

In the drawing the numeral 10 designates the breast of a cotton gin stand, 11 one end plate thereof and 12 the opposite end plate of said breast. I have selected the lower picker or huller roller of an ordinary huller gin portions being 1931. seri l No 544,4 1.

a which to illustrate the. invention, but

the invention is not to be thus limited and maybe utilized wherever found satisfactory.

In the breast ofthe type illustrated it is customary to provide each end plate at its bottom with an upwardly and rearwardly inclined slot 13. These slots permit. the ready installing and reception of the trunnions 14 and 15 of-thehul'lerroller 16 and are wide enough to provide for unobstrucedswinging of the said' roller. 1 i i A segmental bracketor Support 17 ispivoted on a stud 18 on theend plate 11, while a similar bracket 19 is pivoted on a stud20, on the end plate 12. The lower ends of the bracketsare reduced and are pivoted on the studs below the slots, whereby the brackets extend across and above said slots. The trunnions of the roller 16 are. suitably ournaled in said brackets. It has been common pracvticeato mount the huller' roller, in pivoted brackets extending across the slots 13, but ;not to employ segmental brackets as herein.

Thebracketl? has a segment 21 of gear .teeth on its upper edge, while the bracket19 has a similar segment 22 on its upper edge. Each Segment is concentric to the stud of its bracket An adjustingshaft 23 extends longitudinally of the breast under the lambrequin apron 2a. This shaft is suitable journaled in the endplates 11 and 12 and projects beyond each plate. A bearing bracket 25 (Figure 2) lends stability to the center of. the shaft and keeps it in alinement when ro- I .On one end of the shaft is fastened apinion 26 which meshes with the segment 21. A'

tating.

like pinion 27 fastened on the opposite end of the shaft meshes, with the segment 22 It is obvious that when the shaft is rotated the pinions will be revolved and the segmental brackets thus swung. By this means the .huller roller is swung or adjusted toward and from the huller ribs. v

The hub 28 of a forked arm 29 is secured on the end of the shaft adjacent the pinion 26. In the fork of the arm (Fig. 6) is pivoted the lower end of a lever 30 having an offset handle 31 extending above the arm. The lever has an integral pin 32 on its inner side for engaging in apertures 33 arranged in an arc concentric to the shaft- 23. These apertures may be provided in a segmental boss or plate 3% formed integral with or separate from the end plate 11 and secured thereto, or they may be otherwise made. A coiled spring 35 confined in a keeper 36 at the top of the arm 29 bears against the lever so as to hold the pin in the apertures. Any form of locking means suitable for the pur pose could be used. 1

The arm 29 and lever 30 form means for rotating the shaft 23 and for adjusting the huller roller 16 as well as means for fastening said roller in its adjusted positions. It will be seen that by pulling the lever outward to withdraw the pin 32, the arm 29 may be freely swung to rotate the shaft 23. Rotation of the shaft will revolve the pinions 26 and 27 and these will swing the brackets 17 and 19. The pinions are small enough to give the desired swing of the brackets and the adjustment of the roller may thus be easily and quickly made and yet adequately controlled.

Where an upper picker roller is used it is customary to drive the latter from the huller roller by means of a chain 37. A sprocket wheel 38 is fastened on the trunnion 15 of the huller roller and a smaller sprocket wheel 39 is fastened on the trunnion 40 of the picker roller. The endless chain 37 is engaged 011 these rollers and given considerable slack to permit the swinging of the roller 16. In order to take up the slack an idler 11 is engaged with the chain intermediate the wheels.

The idler is mounted on a stub shaft 42 extending from the outer end of a beveled shoe or slide 43 engaging in a complementary groove 44: in the bracket 19. The shoe is forced outwardly by a coiled spring 15 confined in the groove. lVhenever the bracket is swung the spring either yields or forces the idler against the chain and thus said idler becomes self-adjusting.

Various changes in the size and shape of the different parts, as well as modifications and alterations, may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Having illustrated and described a preferred form of the invention what I claim, is:

1. The combination with the breast of a cotton gin, and the huller roller thereof, of segmental gear brackets pivoted to each end of the breast and carrying the roller, a shaft journaled in the breast, pinions fastened on the shaft and meshing with the brackets. a lever carried by the shaft for rocking the latter, a pin on the lever, and a boss on one end of the breast having apertures for receiving said pin.

2. In a cotton gin, a segmental bracket for supporting a roller, means for adjusting said bracket, a roller trunnion journaled in said bracket, a sprocket wheel mounted on the trunnion, a chain passing around said sprocket wheel, a spring pressed slide mounted in the bracket, and an idler journaled on the slide and engaging the chain.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

IVILLIAM L. HANCOCK. 

